Piece of furniture comprising a switch element

ABSTRACT

The invention relates to a piece of furniture comprising a furniture body, a furniture part that is mounted so as to be mobile relative to the furniture body and a drive device for moving the furniture part, which drive device can be triggered via a switch element and comprises at least one motor. The switch element is covered by the furniture part in or on the furniture body when the furniture part is closed and an indirect actuation of the switch element via a force exerted by a user and impacting the mobile furniture part triggers the drive unit. The switch element triggering the drive device is accessible for the user and can be directly actuated when the furniture part is moved out of the closed position.

The present invention concerns an article of furniture comprising a furniture body, a furniture part mounted movably relative to the furniture body and a drive device triggerable by way of a switch element for moving the furniture part, wherein the switch element is concealed by the furniture part in a closed position of the furniture part in or on the furniture body.

In the case of such articles of furniture actuation of the switch element and thus triggering of the drive device are effected indirectly by a movement of the furniture part, that is caused by a user. For example it can be provided that a portion of the furniture part bears against the switch element in the closed position and therefore the fact of the user pressing the furniture part into the furniture body actuates the switch element which for example is in the form of a pressure switch. It is naturally provided for that purpose that a sufficiently great pressing-in travel remains for the furniture part in the closed position of the furniture part in or on the furniture body. That can be ensured in known manner by spring buffers.

If, after triggering of the drive device has occurred, the furniture part is in a partially or completely open position, the switch element in the state of the art has no further functionality.

As it is often desirable for the return movement of the furniture part into the closed position also to have assistance by the drive device, separate additional switch elements are possibly to be provided for triggering the drive device in the partially or completely open position of the furniture part. That is involved in additional costs and increased structural complication.

The object of the invention is to develop an article of furniture of the general kind set forth in such a way that the same functionality is afforded without noticeably increased structural complication and at lower costs.

That object is attained by an article of furniture having the features of claim 1.

The same switch element can therefore serve for triggering the drive device, irrespective of whether the furniture part is in the closed position or a position different from the closed position.

The invention is not limited to a given configuration of the furniture part. For example the furniture part can be in the form of a drawer or flap.

The invention is advantageous in particular when the furniture part is in the form of a flap. It is admittedly already known for an opened flap which is inevitably at a greater height than in the condition of the closed position to be triggered by exerting a force on the flap itself (for example there is provided a detection device for detecting a movement of the furniture part, exerted by a user). That however suffers from the disadvantage that it is difficult in particular for shorter users to reach the flap in the open position. The measure provided according to the invention means that closure of the flap (that is to say the movement from a completely or partially open position into the closed position) can be quite easily effected by the user directly actuating the switch element which is now no longer concealed by the furniture part.

That kind of actuation can be provided independently of the configuration of the furniture part.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention the switch element has at least one light means. The position of the switch element is displayed to the user by the light means.

As the light means does not have to be active (that is to say alight) in the closed position of the furniture part, in which the switch element is concealed by the furniture part, it can be provided that the light means is switch into the active state only when the furniture part is at least partially opened (opened at least to such an extent that the switch element becomes visible). That can be effected for example in such a way that there is provided a position measuring device for detecting the position of the furniture part at least over a portion of the travel between the closed position and an open position of the furniture part and the at least one light means is switchable in dependence on the signals from the position measuring device. Alternatively it is also possible to involve the arrangement of a limit switch which is actuated by the furniture part in the open position.

The position measuring device can also be provided entirely independently of the arrangement of a light means and for example in addition to triggering of the drive device by the switch element, can permit triggering of the drive device by detection of a movement of the furniture part.

Additionally or alternatively the signals of the position measuring device can also serve to calculate motion values of the furniture part such as speed and acceleration in a control or regulating unit of the drive device. That makes it possible to provide for driving of the furniture part by the drive device in dependence on the detected motion values of the furniture part.

In themselves it is possible to adopt various structural configurations for the switch element. The switch element can for example have a sensor which is to be triggered in contactless mode (for example a capacitive sensor). A particularly simple switch element configuration is afforded however if it is provided that the switch element has a sprung pressure pin. In that respect it can either be provided that the switch element triggers the drive device only when the pressure pin is pushed in. Alternatively however it can be provided that the pressure pin is so mounted on the switch element that it would come out of the switch element by a predetermined amount without a counteracting force acting thereon. That movement out of the switch element is prevented when a furniture part is bearing thereagainst, either by suitably arranged force storage means (for example springs) or by the mass of the furniture part and optionally the closure retaining forces of a closure device. When the furniture part is moved away from the furniture body somewhat by a user, the pressure pin however can move out of the switch element by the predetermined distance, whereupon the switch element triggers the drive device. That affords a possible way of triggering the drive device not only by pressing but also by pulling on the furniture part in the closed position.

It is naturally particularly preferably provided that the at least one light means is arranged adjacent to the pressure pin.

In a particularly preferred embodiment of the invention it is further provided that the drive device has at least one electric motor.

The position measuring device can be for example in the form of a linear or rotary potentiometer. The switch element can also be in the form of a radio switch. In particular it is possible for such radio switches to be designed without batteries, in which case the power generation required for the radio operation is effected by means of a piezoelectric crystal or electrodynamically (for example by a moving coil).

Further advantages and details of the invention will be apparent from the Figures and the related specific description. In the Figures:

FIGS. 1 a and 1 b show a perspective view and an exploded view of an embodiment of a switch element which can be used in an article of furniture according to the invention,

FIGS. 2 a through 2 c show the embodiment of FIG. 1 in different operating positions,

FIG. 3 shows a portion of an article of furniture according to the invention, and

FIGS. 4 a and 4 b show a perspective view and a detail view of a further embodiment of an article of furniture according to the invention.

FIG. 1 a shows a perspective view of an embodiment of a switch element 4 with a resiliently supported pin 7, wherein two light means in the form of light emitting diodes (LEDs) are arranged adjacently to the pin 7.

The structure of the switch element 4 can be seen in particular from the exploded view in FIG. 1 b. It will be seen that the pin 7 has a toothed extension 8 meshing with the control member, in the form of a gear 9, of a rotary potentiometer 10 serving for position measurement.

It is further possible to see a spring 11 for loading the pin 7, as well as electric lines 12 which serve for the power supply to the circuit board 13 with rotary potentiometer 10 arranged thereon as well as for passing the signals from the potentiometer to a control or regulating device (not shown) of the drive device 5.

The lines 12 can extend protected in a passage 14, in a wall, or a bottom of the furniture body 2 shown in greater detail in FIG. 3.

The switch element 4 is concealed by a housing cover 15. A cable holder 16 is provided to relieve the tensile load on the lines 12.

FIGS. 2 a through 2 c show three different operating positions of the pin 7 of the switch element 4. As the spring 11 is in the form of a compression spring the pin 7 is always subjected to a force by the compression spring, which seeks to urge it out of the housing.

In FIG. 2 b showing the neutral position of the switch element 4, the pin 7 is held in the illustrated position against the loading force of the spring 11 by a movable furniture part 3 (not shown). In FIG. 2 a the movable furniture part 3 has been moved away from the pin 7 by a user, whereby the spring 11 can urge the pin 7 out of the housing. That is detected by the rotary potentiometer 10 and communicated by way of the lines 12 to a control or regulating device (not shown) for triggering the drive device. In FIG. 2 c the movable furniture part has been moved into the furniture body whereby the pin 7 has also been pressed far into the housing against the loading force of the spring 11. Once again that movement is detected by the rotary potentiometer 10 and passed by way of the lines 12 to a control or regulating unit (not shown) for activating the drive device 5.

FIG. 3 shows the switch element 4 of FIGS. 1 and 2 in the mounted condition in a furniture body 2. It is further possible to see two mounting projections 17 in the condition of not yet being pushed in. By pushing in the projections 17 the housing of the switch element 4 is held in the bore in the furniture body 2.

FIG. 4 a shows an article of furniture 1 comprising a furniture body or carcass 2 and a movable furniture part 3 in the form of a flap. In this embodiment the switch element 4 according to the invention is mounted to a side wall of the furniture body 2 (see FIG. 4 b).

In this embodiment the drive device 5 for the furniture part 3 is integrated in the control mechanism for the furniture part 3 itself.

Spacers (not shown), for example spring buffers, are to be provided to ensure that there is a sufficient push-in travel for the furniture part 3 in the closed position thereof on the furniture body 2.

Compensation of installation tolerances is also possible by way of the rotary potentiometer 10. It will be appreciated that it is also possible to use a linear potentiometer instead of the rotary potentiometer 10.

It will be appreciated that, instead of the arrangement of a potentiometer, it is also possible to provide simple switches which are actuated mechanically by the pin 7 and upon actuation close an electrical contact. Those switches can be in the form of pushbutton or rotary switches as well as ‘openers’ (contact closes upon release of the switch) or ‘closers’ (contact closes upon actuation of the switch). 

1. An article of furniture comprising: a furniture body, a furniture part mounted movably relative to the furniture body and a drive device triggerable by way of a switch element and having at least one electric motor for moving the furniture part, wherein the switch element is concealed by the furniture part in a closed position of the furniture part in or on the furniture body and indirect actuation of the switch element by way of an application of force to the movable furniture part by the user triggers the drive unit, and wherein the switch element triggering the drive device is accessible and directly actuable for the user when a furniture part is moved away from the closed position.
 2. An article of furniture as set forth in claim 1 wherein there is provided a position measuring device for detecting the position of the furniture part at least over a portion of the travel between the closed position and an open position of the furniture part.
 3. An article of furniture as set forth in claim 1 wherein the switch element has at least one light means.
 4. An article of furniture as set forth in claim 2 wherein the at least one light means is switchable in dependence on the signals from the position measuring device.
 5. An article of furniture as set forth in claim 1 wherein the switch element has a sprung pin.
 6. An article of furniture as set forth in claim 5 wherein the at least one light means is arranged adjacently to the pin.
 7. An article of furniture as set forth in claim 1 wherein the furniture part is in the form of a drawer or flap. 